Joseph Ellis is a best selling author of eight books on American history, the most recent being American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republic. His previous books include the Pulitzer Prize winning Founding Brothers, which focuses on six crucial moments in the American Revolution, His Excellency: George Washington and American Sphinx, about Thomas Jefferson, which received a National Book Award.

Ellis is generally regarded as one of the leading scholars of the Founding Fathers and one of the most successful "cross-over" historians, having managed to straddle the gap between the scholarly world and the general public.

Ellis's commentaries have been featured on CSPAN, CNN, MSNBC, and he has appeared in several PBS documentaries on early America. In addition, Ellis has written reviews and essays for a variety of national publications, including the New York Times, New Republic, New Yorker, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, and Wall Street Journal. He has conducted seminars for federal judges and federal elected officials on America's "original intentions" and has spoken before corporate boards on the leadership credentials of the founders.

Ellis taught history at the United States Military Academy at West Point, and has taught at Mount Holyoke College since 1972.

Ellis was educated at the College of William and Mary and Yale University.

NOTE: Bio is as it appeared in the Forum program from September 27, 2008.